Separator apparatus



July 18, 1961 v, F z o 2,992,739

SEPARATOR APPARATUS Filed June 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.I

IMmIl H y INVENTOR. VINCENZO FAZIO July 18, 1961 Filed June 5, 1959 56 FIG. 5 I] l 45 1 A 54 I A 55 II I 34H 3373 I o 27 3b V. FAZlO 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. VINCENZO FAZIO te States This invention relates to separator apparatus for segregating different size granular materials. More specifically, this invention relates to apparatus for separating and segregating a mixture of shelled corn and soybeans.

It frequently happens that shelled corn and soybeans become accidently mixed together either in transit or while in storage in quantities so as to make it expedient to screen or segregate the soybeans and the corn. In order that large amounts of such mixtures may be handled in an economical manner it is necessary that there be provided some sort of device that will quickly perform the separator function, that the mixture be conveniently transported to and loaded in the separator device, and the screened material be separately collected.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to separate different size granular matrials from a mixture of such materials in a quick and convenient manner by incorporating in a unitary assembly a perforated rotatable drum for screening such a mixture, a movable hopper for supplying such material to the drum, and a tiltable chute for selectively directing the screened materials to receiving containers.

It is another object of this invention to separate soybeans and shelled corn by apparatus which incorporates a rotatable drum provided with a perforated cylindrical surface wherein the perforations are of sufficient size to pass soybeans therethrough but of insufficient size to pass the shelled corn.

It is another object of this invention to separate soybeans and shelled corn by apparatus which incorporates a rotatable drum provided with a cylindrical surface comprising a plurality of spaced parallel rods extending between the peripheries of the end walls of the drum and defining elongated slotted apertures which are of sufficient width to pass soybeans therethrough but of insufficient width to pass shelled corn.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and what is now considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a separator unit constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation view illustrating the relative disposition of the drum and hopper with the hopper in a lowered position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary and enlarged view showing details of the lid structure of the drum;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the drum supporting portion of the separator unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an elevation view in section of a separator drum constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention and incorporating a perforated cylindrical surface;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of atent te m the perforated cylindrical surface of the drum illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an end elevation of a drum constructed in accordance with another embodiment of this invention and which incorporates spaced cylindrical shaped dowels defining elongated slots therebetween in the cylindrical surface of the drum;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation of the drum illustrated in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing details of the lid construction of the embodiment of the drum which incorporates spaced cylindrical dowels as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.

Referring now to FIGS, 1, 2, and 5 there is illustrated a separator unit 21 which incorporates the features of this invention. The separator unit comprises a lower enclosed housing 22 in which there is rotatably mounted a cylindrically shaped drum 23. As shown in. greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 5, the lower housing 22 comprises vertical frame members 24 forming four corner posts for the lower housing of the separator unit. Horizontally extending frame members 25 and 26 are attached to the respective upper and lower ends of the frame members 24 to form a pair of box forms. A pair of end panels 27 are attached to the vertical frame members 24 by any suitable means to thereby join the pair of box forms and thus form a strong and rigid external frame for the lower housing 22 of the separator unit. A base panel 30 is attached to the lower edges of the end panels 27. As best seen in FIG. 5 vertically extending slots 28 are afforded in their upper edges of the end panels 27 and the bottom of the slots are rounded to provided a support for the axle of the drum 23.

As best viewed in FIG. 2 an additional pair of side panels 29 are attached at their upper ends to the horizontal frame members 25. The side panels 29 extend transverse to the end panels 27 and engage the inner surfaces of the end panels 27. The side panels 29 are concavely curved at their lower portions and the lower edges of the panels are spaced apart to provide a trough or channel 31 having an opening 32 at the lowermost portion thereof. As viewed in FIG. 2 the drum 23 is mounted in the housing 22 so as to have the periphery of the drum spaced a short distance inwardly from the side panels 29.

As viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5 lower and upper cross pieces 33 and 34 extend horizontally across each box form and are attached at their ends to the vertical frame members 24. The upper cross piece 34 extends outwardly beyond the lower cross piece 33. Each cross piece 33 and 34 has a turnbuckle 33TB and 34TB, respectively, attached at an upper end medially of the cross piece. The lower ends of the turnbuckles 33TB and 34TH are provided with hooks 331-1 and 34H. An elongated openended chute 36 having a flat bottom 37 and a pair of vertically extending guide rails 38 is disposed between the end panels 27 and beneath the opening 32 in the trough 31. A tab member 39 is attached to each rail 38 and, as viewed in FIG. 5, projects above the upper edge of the rail. A flexible wire or rope 4-1 is connected at opposite ends to the tab members 39. The wire 41 is slipped over either the lower hook 33-1-1 or the upper hook 34H to suspend the chute therefrom and lower or raise the end of the chute. As viewed in FIGS, 1, 2, and 5 the chute is suspended from the hooked ends of the turnbuckles in a manner such that the chute is tilted downwardly in a leftward direction. That is, the portion of the chute extending to the left of the frame is suspended from the lower hook 33H while that portion of the chute extending rightwardly of the frame is suspended from the upper hook 34H. The chute 36 can thus be readily tilted to have either the rightward or the leftward portion inclined downwardly.

As viewed in FIG. 1 a container 42 is disposed at the leftward end of the chute and is provided with a carrying handle 43. Also as illustrated in FIG. 1 the entire separator unit 21 preferably is mounted on a base or pedestal 44 so that relatively deep containers such as 42 may be utilized in a manner to be described hereinafter.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and the frame of the housing 22 includes vertically extending support members 45 which are attached to the side panels 27 by a plurality of bracket members 46 and are bracketed against edge portions of the base panel 30. Horizontal cross members, not visible in the drawings, extend between the vertical supports 45 at the upper ends of these supports. A horizontally extending upper beam 51 is supported by the support members 45 by means of such horizontal cross members.

A hopper 52 which has tapered end walls 53 joined with tapered side walls 54 is suspended from the upper beam 51 by means of a hanger 55 which is provided with hooked ends engaged in the side walls 54 of the hopper 52. A line 56 is connected to the hanger 55 and is passed over a block 57 carried by the upper beam 51. The block 57 and line 56 provide means for moving the hopper 52 vertically between a lower position, illustrated in the bold outline in FIG. 1, and an upper position, illustrated in the phantom outline in FIG. 1. A pair of strut members 58 are attached to the end walls 53 of the hopper and are of sufilcient length to extend beyond the horizontal frame members 25. In the lower position of the hopper 52, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, the lower edges of the strut members 58 reside on the horizontal frame members 25 and act as stops for determining the lowermost point of travel of the hopper. Preferably, and as best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5, the strut members 58 are provided with recesses 59 in their lower edges. These recesses coact with the horizontal frame members 25 to position the hopper laterally with respect to the housing and the drum mounted therein.

In accordance with this invention the drum 23 comprises a pair of solid, imperforate end walls 61 and 62 as illustrated in FIG. 6. The drum illustrated in FIG. 6 incorporates a perforated cylindrical surface 63 which is attached to and extends between the peripheries of the end walls 61 and 62. As best seen in FIG. 7 the cylindrical surface 63 is provided with regularly spaced circular apertures 631. The cylindrical surface 63 may preferably be formed from sheet metal of a suitable gauge to provide the desired amount of rigidity along the length of the drum. An axle 64 projects perpendicularly outwardly from each end wall 61 and 62 for mounting the drum Within the slots 28 afforded in the panels 27 as described hereinbefore. Collars 65 may preferably be formed on the axle 64 for engaging the inner surfaces of the end panels 27 and preventing endwise movement of the drum within the trough 31. As viewed in FIG. 6, a handle 66 is attached to the end of the axle 64 which projects from the end wall 62. This handle 66 provides means for rotating the drum for a purpose to be described.

Referring now to FIG. 4 it is seen that the drum 23 is provided with a lid 67 which opens in the cylindrical surface of the drum. A pair of brace members 68 and 69 are fastened to the end walls of the drum and extend longitudinally across the surface of the drum. The lid 67 comprises a pair of brace members 71 and 72 which likewise extend longitudinally across the drum between the ends 61 and 62. The brace members 71 and 72 mount a slightly curved sheet 73 therebetween. Preferably circular, spaced apertures 73P are afforded in the sheet 73. A hinge 74 is mounted on the brace 68 and the brace 71 to provide the swinging movement of the lid for opening and closing the lid. As illustrated in FIG. 3 the drum is provided with a latching element 75 for maintaining the lid 67 in a closed position. In the open position illus trated in FIG. 3 the lid 67 provides a rectangularly shaped enlarged opening 76 in the cylindrical surface of the drum. The lower portion of the hopper 52 and the enlarged opening 76 are so dimensioned that the hopper projects a short distance within the interior of the drum 23 in the lowermost position of the hopper as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5. This prevents any spilling of the material being delivered from the hopper to the interior of the drum.

It should be noted that some of sort of closure means may be provided at the lower end of the hopper for retaining the material within the hopper until such time as the lower end of the hopper is placed within the drum 23 in the position illustrated in FIG. 4. Such means are not illustrated, but any conventional structure for achieving the purpose may be used.

In FIGS. 8-10 there is illustrated another embodiment of a drum which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 23A. The drum 23A incorporates rods or dowels spaced along the circular peripheries of the end walls to provide an apertured cylindrical surface. The end walls, axle, and handle of the drum illustrated in FIGS. 810 are generally similar to those illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6 and are accordingly designated by like reference numerals but with the addition of the suffix A. As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 a plurality of spaced parallel rods 81 are attached at opposite ends to the internal surfaces of the end walls 61A and 62A closely adjacent the peripheries thereof. The rods 81 may preferably be wooden dowels and an annular member 82 may be provided intermediate the walls 61A and 62A for receiving the rods therein and thus permitting shorter and therefore more rigid rods to be utilized. In either event the rods 81 are spaced a preselected distance to define rectangular-shaped elongated apertures SIP therebetween.

Referring to FIG. l0 it is seen that the drum is provided with a lid 83 which is hingedly connected to the periphery of the drum at hinges 74A. Thus, the lid 83 may be moved to an open position indicated by phantom outlines in FIG. 10 so as to provide an enlarged opening in the periphery of the drum for receiving the lower end of the hopper 52 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4, and it may be latched in a closed position as illustrated by the bold outline in FIG. 10. Preferably the lid 83 is provided with spaced, cylindrically shaped rods which define apertures 81F therebetween in the same manner as the apertures are provided in the remainder of the periphery of the drum.

As noted hereinabove the separator unit 21 is particularly intended to be utilized in separating soybeans from a mixture of soybeans and shelled corn. In such an application the apertures 63F of the drum illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6 are of suflicient size so that soybeans pass freely therethrough but the apertures are of insuflicient size to permit shelled corn to pass through the apertures. Likewise, the spacing between the cylindrical rods 81 in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8-11 is suflicient to pass soybeans but small enough to block the flow of shelled corn therethrough.

In the operation of the separator unit constructed in accordance with this invention, the lid to the cylinder 23 is opened and the hopper 52 is positioned to have its lower end projecting through the enlarged opening 76 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4 wherein the hopper supplies the mixed materials, such as soybeans and shelled corn, to the interior of the drum. It should be noted that the manner in which the lower end of the hopper projects through the enlarged opening in the cylindrical surface of the drum substantially prevents any of the mixed materials from spilling during this initial charging operation. After the mixed materials are dumped by the hopper into the interior of the drum, the hopper 52 is raised by the line 56 to a position wherein all parts of the hopper are free of the drum. The lid is closed and latched and the drum is rotated by means of the handle 66. Such rotation of the drum causes the smaller sized particles, such as the soybeans, to be screened through the perforations to the trough 31. It should be noted that the drum is rotatable in either direction. If the shelled corn should become lodged in the apertures during rotation of the drum in one direction, thus preventing the soybeans from passing freely therethrough, the direction of rotation can be reversed to dislodge the corn and open the apertures. The concavely curved lower ends of the side panels 29 which form the sides of the trough guide the screened particles to the opening 32 at the bottom of the trough. From the opening 32 the screened particles drop to the chute 36, and, with the inclination of the chute as illustrated in FIG. 1, the screened particles slide down the chute to the receiving container 32. Continued rotation of the drum 23 is effective to separate all of the soybeans from the mixture within the drum so that only a residue of shelled corn remains within the drum 23. At this time the hopper 52 may be lowered to place a new charge of mixed corn and soybeans within the drum in the manner described immediately above. However, if the residue of shelled corn within the drum is a significantly large amount, the drum may be removed from the housing by lifting the drum from out the slot 28. With the drum removed from the housing the lid may be opened and the shelled corn may then be dumped through the enlarged opening normally covered by the lid.

It will be apparent that the hopper may be mounted on the upper beam 51 so as to be movable along such beam. In such a case the hopper may receive a charge of mixed materials at some point along the path of travel on the beam 51 and may thereafter be returned to the position illustrated in the phantom outline in FIG. 1 and lowered to the drum charging position illustrated in bold outline in FIG. 1.

Thus, the separator unit constructed in accordance with this invention facilitates supplying the mixed materials to the separating drum. The rotatable drum constructed in accordance with this invention screens one material out of the mixture in an effective manner and the tiltable chute selectively directs the screened material to a receiving container.

Hence, while I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification.

I claim:

1. A separator for separating soybeans from a mixture of shelled corn and soybeans or the like comprising four elongated vertically disposed corner frame members, substantially solid oppositely disposed end panels attached to the vertically disposed frame members, a similar front and a rear oppositely disposed and aligned horizontal frame and hopper supporting member attached respectively to opposed vertical corner frame members, side panels each extending inwardly of and downwardly from the respective horizontal frame and hopper supporting member and with at least the lower portions thereof inwardly curved and having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof supported by the frame, the frame, the end panels and the side panels thus forming an enclosure and support for a rotatable drum and the support being open at its top for removal of the drum, means for rotating the drum, the drum being hollow, cylindrical and reticulated and having shaft means extending from opposite ends thereof, the shaft means being aremovably supported in the said end panels, the drum having a movable closure carried thereby for exposing an opening, a movable hopper the dimensions and configuration of the lower portion of which is such as to be registered with the opening in the reticulated drum so as to prevent spillage of material from the hopper to the exterior of the drum, hopper supporting means carried by the frame and extending vertically upwardly thereabove, means connected to the hopper and to the hopper supporting means for vertically lowering the hopper into the position whereby the said lower portion thereof is registered with the opening in the reticulated drum and for raising the hopper above the said opening to allow for removal of the drum, means carried by the hopper so positioned and arranged as to engage and be supported upon the aligned horizontal frame members and thus predeterminately limit its further downward movement when said lower portion of the hopper is properly registered with the opening of the reticulated drum.

2. The separator as defined in and by claim 1 wherein the means carried by the hopper to engage and be supported on the aligned horizontal frame members is at least one strut member carried by the hopper and having respective end portions of the strut member that engage and are supported upon the aligned horizontal frame members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 32,516 Haines June 12, 1861 97,503 Hagadorn Dec. 7, 1869 182,100 Bulkley Sept. 12, 1876 248,880 Potts Nov. 1, 1881 254,720 Steel Mar. 7, 1882 1,232,784 Frey July 10, 1917 2,233,652 Ticknor Mar. 4, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 730,195 Germany Ian. 8, 1943 

